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U.S. YOUTH SOCCER (USYS) VS. U.S. CLUB SOCCER (US CLUB)

Navigating the world of competitive soccer can be challenging, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the landscape. This page will help you understand the two largest governing bodies for competitive youth soccer in the United States:

United States Youth Soccer (USYS) and United States Club Soccer (US Club).

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Notably, Issaquah FC, Eastside Youth Soccer Assocation (EYSA), and Washington Youth Soccer (WYS) are a part of US Youth Soccer. Both USYS and US Club fall under the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The USSF is the official governing body of soccer in the United States as recognized by soccer's international governing body, FIFA.​​​​​​​

United States Youth Soccer (USYS)

​​US Youth Soccer is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to fostering the physical, mental, and emotional growth of America’s youth through soccer, at all ages and levels of competition. Their goal is to make the game fun while inspiring young players to develop a lifelong passion for the sport.​

 

US Youth Soccer is organized into four regions: East, Midwest, South, and West. It comprises 55 member State Associations—one in each state, with two in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Boys and girls register to play through one of the 6,000+ clubs or leagues established by their State Association.

US Club Soccer (US Club)

US Club Soccer is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of soccer clubs across the United States, creating the best possible environment for players of all ages to develop and thrive.

Player Registration Comparison

Washington Youth Soccer (WYS), which falls under USYS, requires that individual clubs be under the umbrella of an association. Issaquah FC belongs to the Eastside Youth Soccer Association (EYSA) along with the other member clubs listed below, each being responsible for independently registering its players.

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EYSA consists of 5 clubs:

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To contrast, US Club is a National organization where registration is run online at the National level.​​

 

League Comparison

In USYS, each state association runs its own "State League," which serves as a qualifier for the Regional League, and from there, teams can advance to the National League. The specific qualifying rules vary between state and regional associations.

 

US Club Soccer also features local, regional, and national leagues.

 

Notably, the NPL, ENPL, and ECNL are all national leagues operated either in-house or by US Club members.

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